Chicago and its violence have been a frequent subject of President Donald Trump's attention. It was a common campaign thread Trump used to hammer Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama and others. Since becoming president Trump has returned to the theme. Here are Trump's mentions of Chicago, with annotations where appropriate.

Feb. 27, 2019

"While we were once driving through a struggling neighborhood in Chicago, he commented that only black people could live that way."

President Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen's comments about Chicago came in prepared remarks before the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Cohen accuses Trump of being a virulent racist and backs up his claim with a story from Chicago.

Oct. 8, 2018

"The crime spree is a terrible blight. There's no reason for what's going on there."

The president told officers at the International Association of Chiefs of Police in Orlando that he directed his attorney general to "help straighten out the terrible shooting wave" in Chicago. Trump encouraged the use of controversial stop-and-frisk policing strategy. Trump said politicians who spread "dangerous anti-police sentiment make life easier for criminals and more dangerous for law-abiding citizens and police." Trump says "it must stop now."

June 5, 2018

We have had many Championship teams recently at the White House including the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Penguins, New England Patriots, Alabama and Clemson National Champions, and many others. National Anthem & more great music today at 3:00 P.M.

May 25, 2018

Chicago Police have every right to legally protest against the mayor and an administration that just won’t let them do their job. The killings are at a record pace and tough police work, which Chicago will not allow, would bring things back to order fast…the killings must stop!

Dec. 15, 2017

"When you look at what's going on in Chicago. What the hell is going on in Chicago? What the hell is happening there? For the second year in a row, a person was shot in Chicago every three hours. You don't think the people in this room can stop that? They'd stop it. They'd stop it."

At FBI Academy graduation in Quantico, Va.

Dec. 8, 2017

"The city of Chicago. What the hell is going on in Chicago? There are those who say that Afghanistan is safer than Chicago, okay? What is going on? You know what's wrong with Chicago? Weak, ineffective politicians. Democrats that don't want to force restrictions and don't, and by the way, Chicago, -- for those of you that are gonna say, 'Guns, guns' -- Chicago has the toughest gun laws in the United States, okay? Just in case you were thinking about it. You know they immediately say, 'Oh, you're gonna take away.' Well, Chicago has the toughest gun laws in the United States. So we're asking Democrats in Congress to cease their obstuction and do the right thing -- end sanctuary cities."

At a rally in Pensacola, Fla.

Nov. 7, 2017

"Look at the city with the strongest gun laws in our nation -- Chicago. Chicago is a disaster, a total disaster. If this man did not have a gun or rifle it would have been a much worse situation in the great state of Texas."

The President once again incorrectly asserted Chicago has the strongest gun laws in the country as he argued that tougher regulations would not have stopped the mass shooting in Sunderland Springs, Texas, Nov. 5. Trump was speaking to reporters in Seoul, South Korea, while on a tour of Asia countries. Trump made the comments when asked during a news conference whether he would entertain "extreme vetting" on guns in the wake of the shooting in which a gunman killed 26 people.

Oct. 11, 2017

"I'll never forget. I was in Chicago and a police officer. There was a motorcycle deal to the plane and I was talking to the police, I was taking a picture. I said, 'How do you stop this?''We could stop it immediately, sir.'I said 'What do you mean you could stop it immediately?''If they let us do our job, we could stop it immediately.'Now at some point you're gonna have to let them do their job. And they want to do their job. That's the incredible thing."

About what Trump said

The president told Fox News host Sean Hannity that the unnamed Chicago motorcycle cop whom Trump claimed he met on the campaign trail said that "if they let us do out job we could stop [violent crime] immediately."

That's a quicker turnaround than Trump has claimed was possible when he previously mentioned the mystery cop in his references to Chicago crime, a favorite topic of his since he launched his run for office.

In August 2016, he told disgraced former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly that he believed the mystery cop when the officer told him he could solve Chicago's crime problem "within a week" if he was in charge.

Then, in July, the president offered a slightly different version of the story -- telling an audience of cops in Long Island, N.Y., that the officer, who he said was part of a motorcycle escort to the airport, credibly told him he could clean up Chicago in "two days" if he was in charge of the Police Department.

Sept. 30, 2017

About what Trump said

President Trump featured the Blackhawks in his crusade against athletes who kneel during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice and police brutality.

Trump tweeted a video of the national anthem from a Blues-Blackhawks game in St. Louis at the Scottrade Center from Nov. 9, 2016, the night after the presidential election, and in the video that crowd sings the anthem in unison after retired veteran Generald Wilson (sic) begins.

Aug. 14, 2017

July 28, 2017

"So, Chicago is having this unbelievable violence. People being killed -- 4, 5, 6 in a weekend and I'm saying, 'What is going on?'"

At Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood, N.Y.

About what Trump said

Trump has offered slightly different versions of his encounter with a Chicago police officer on the campaign trial. During this speech, he told an audience of cops that the Chicago officer, who he said was part of a motorcycle escort to the airport, credibly told him he could clean up Chicago in "two days" if he was in charge of the Police Department.

In August 2016, he told disgraced former Fox Host Bill O'Reilly that he believed the mystery cop when the officer told him he could solve Chicago's crime problem "within a week" if he was in charge.

In President Donald Trump's retelling in October 2017, the mysterious Chicago police officer's plan to solve the city's crime problem keeps getting better.

The president told Fox News host Sean Hannity that the unnamed Chicago motorcycle cop whom Trump claimed he met on the campaign trail said that "if they let us do our job we could stop [violent crime] immediately."

July 25, 2017

"What the hell is going on in Chicago? Better tell that mayor to get tough because it's not working what they're doing."

At a rally in Youngstown, Ohio

June 30, 2017

Crime and killings in Chicago have reached such epidemic proportions that I am sending in Federal help. 1714 shootings in Chicago this year!

About what Trump said

Twenty agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firarms and Explosives have been assigned to Chicago to join a newly formed task force aimed at cutting the flow of illegal guns into the city and cracking down on people repeatedly arrested on gun charges. It was unclear how long the task force has been planned and whether it had been under consideration before Trump took office.

Feb. 23, 2017

Jan. 25, 2017

"So, look, when President Obama was there two weeks ago making a speech, very nice speech. Two people were shot and killed during his speech. You can't have that ... They weren't shot at the speech. But they were shot in the city of Chicago during his speech."

About what Trump said

This quote contains a false assertion. No one was killed in Chicago during President Barack Obama's farewell address. The Tribune's crime database showed no slayings for about 24 hours before and after Obama's speech, which lasted from 8:02 to 8:53 p.m. Jan. 10. A man was shot about 20 minutes after the speech, but that victim survived. ABC News did not broadcast this passage of its interview with Trump but did release the transcript and attest to its accuracy. It declined to release the video. The White House did not respond to the Tribune's request for comment.

Jan. 24, 2017

If Chicago doesn’t fix the horrible “carnage” going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 2016), I will send in the Feds!

About what Trump said

Trump did not fully explain what a decision to "send in the Feds!" would mean. Mayor Rahm Emanuel rejected the notion that the National Guard might patrol the streets to combat Chicago violence, but he welcomed other types of federal help.

Jan. 2, 2017

Chicago murder rate is record setting — 4,331 shooting victims with 762 murders in 2016. If Mayor can’t do it he must ask for Federal help!

Oct. 19, 2016

Oct. 19, 2016

" ... in Chicago, which has the toughest gun laws in the United States, probably you could say by far, they have more gun violence than any other city."

During his final presidential debate against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in Las Vegas

Oct. 18, 2016

" ... Look, look, if nothing else, people are going to be watching on November 8. Watch Philadelphia. Watch St. Louis. Watch Chicago, watch Chicago."

At a campaign rally in Grand Junction, Colo.

About what Trump said

Fears of widespread vote fraud in Chicago were unfounded. Officials reported few irregularities. A few voters received only one paper ballot instead of the two they should have gotten. And a voter complained that an election judge was wearing an Obama hat.

Aug. 27, 2016

About what Trump said

Trump initially misspelled Chicago Bulls star Dwyane Wade's first name as Dwayne, but that wasn't the main reason he was criticized for this tweet. Some accused him of using a tragedy to promote his campaign. Hours later, he tweeted a more subdued and straightforward message of sympathy for the family. As for African-Americans voting for Trump, exit polls indicate he got about 8 percent of the black vote.

Aug. 22, 2016

"... when I was in Chicago, I got to meet a couple of very top police. I said, 'How do you stop this? How do you stop this? If you were put in charge -- to a specific person -- do you think you could stop it?' He said, 'Mr. Trump, I'd be able to stop it in one week.' And I believed him 100 percent."

During an interview on Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor"

About what Trump said

Trump never revealed which "very top police" official told him he could solve Chicago's violence problem in a single week. After Trump's comment last August, Chicago police said the presidential candidate had not met with top brass since at least March.

July 21, 2016

"In the president's hometown of Chicago, more than 2,000 people have been the victims of shootings this year alone. And almost 4,000 have been killed in the Chicago area since he took office."

Speech accepting the party's nomination during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland

July 12, 2016

Crime is out of control, and rapidly getting worse. Look what is going on in Chicago and our inner cities. Not good!

March 12, 2016

About what Trump said

Trump called off his March 11, 2016, rally at the UIC Pavilion, citing security concerns after it was clear that sizeable numbers of protesters had secured seats inside the arena. Chicago police said they were not consulted in the decision to cancel the rally.

March 12, 2016

It is Clinton and Sanders people who disrupted my rally in Chicago — and then they say I must talk to my people. Phony politicians!

Feb. 22, 2016

About what Trump said

Trump tweeted his denunciation of the Ricketts family after USA Today reported that Marlene Ricketts, matriarch of the family that owns the Chicago Cubs, had put $3 million into the Our Principles PAC, which opposed Trump. The then-frontrunner for the GOP nomination did not clarify what he meant by "they have a lot to hide." Eventually, members of the Ricketts family backed Trump, and Marlene's son Todd was nominated as deputy commerce secretary.

June 29, 2015

June 29, 2015

"I read that somebody said -- it just stuck with me-- that Chicago is more dangerous than Afghanistan. That's a hell of a quote. Now, I don't know if it is. But when you look at all these kids being killed on a daily basis, it hurts Chicago very badly."

While speaking to the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board

About what Trump said

The need to fight Chicago violence has been an ongoing theme of Trump -- and one that has gained power from the city's rise in shootings in recent years. Speaking to the Chicago Tribune editorial board June 29, 2015, the presidential candidate made a comparison that he would revisit several times -- that Chicago may be as dangerous as Afghanistan. The Chicago homicide toll has been higher than the American death toll in Afghanistan for every year of the war but 2010. But it's way below the over-all war toll when Afghans are included. (Chicago has had about 8,000 homicides since the Afghan war started in 2001, while the actual war toll exceeds 100,000.) As far as Chicago's image as "the crime capital of the world," perception is different from reality. Even with Chicago's alarming spike in violence in 2016, it was much safer than St. Louis, Baltimore and Detroit on a per capita basis, according to an analysis by the FivethirtyEight website.